'''The War''' was the nickname given by promoter [[Bob Arum]] to the world middleweight championship [[superfight]] bout between Undisputed Champion '''[[Marvin Hagler]]''' and challenger '''[[Thomas Hearns]]''', who was himself the world's junior middleweight champion.

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Marvin Hagler was widely regarded as the top challenger for the middleweight title for much of the late 1970s. He got his long-awaited title shot against [[Vito Antuofermo]] on November 30, 1979. After fifteen rounds, most thought Hagler had won the fight, but Antuofermo retained the title with a controversial draw.

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==Background to the fight==

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Hagler's second title shot came on September 27, 1980 in London, England against Englishmen [[Alan Minter]], who had dethroned Antuofermo. Hagler battered Minter, and the fight was stopped on cuts in the third round. Hagler was the new Undisputed World Middleweight Champion, but he didn't get to be announced as the new champion in the ring because the English fans started throwing bottles in outrage over the stoppage. Hagler and his handlers were hurriedly escorted from the ring by security.

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By 1985, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler had been the undisputed champion of the middleweight division since September 27, 1980, after having been widely regarded as the No. 1 challenger for much of the late 1970s. His first two shots at the world middleweight title resulted in controversy: the first was an unpopular decision over [[Vito Antuofermo]] in 1979, and the second was a three-round technical knockout (TKO) of [[Alan Minter]], in London, which led to a riot by Minter's fans. The hard road to the middleweight championship, however, may have helped motivate Hagler to remain dominant during his reign. By the time he fought Thomas Hearns, he had defended the title ten times, winning nine by knockout.

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When the Hagler/Hearns took place, Hearns was making his debut as a middleweight after dominating the junior middleweight division and performing very well at welterweight. Hearns' first title shot was an unexpected second-round knockout against dominant WBA champion [[Pipino Cuevas]]. Hearns then defended the title three times before meeting [[Sugar Ray Leonard]] in a thrilling fight dubbed "The Showdown." Hearns lost by technical knockout in the 14th round despite leading on all three score cards. He then successfully campaigned at junior middleweight, winning the WBC title from [[Wilfred Benitez]], and defeating [[Roberto Duran]] by a dramatic second-round knockout (Duran fell face first to the canvas).

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Hearns' road to a title wasn't as rough. With a record of 28-0 with 26 knockouts, he won the WBA welterweight title with a second-round annihilation of [[Pipino Cuevas]]. He defended the title three times before being stopped in fourteen rounds by [[WBC]] champion [[Sugar Ray Leonard]] in a unification fight. After the lost to Leonard, Hearns moved up to middleweight and set his sights on Hagler.

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Given the way both men had won their respective fights coming into this bout, it garnered significant media attention and interest by fans around the world. It was held at the [[Caesars Palace]] hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 15, 1985. In the United States and Puerto Rico, it was broadcast by [[HBO]] and WAPA-TV.

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Hagler and Hearns were originally scheduled to fight on May 24, 1982 at Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, but the fight was postponed after Hearns injured his finger. The fight was rescheduled for July 15, but Hearns then wanted the fight moved to the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mighigan. Hagler said he would not fight Hearns in the Detroit area, and the fight was canceled. Hagler said, "Hearns is afraid to fight me. He always was, and he always will be."

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==The Fight==

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Hearns defeated [[Wilfred Benitez]] to win the WBC super welterweight title on December 3, 1982. His most impressive title defense was on June 15, 1984, when he scored a devastating second-round knockout of [[Roberto Duran]], who had gone fifteen rounds with Hagler the previous November. Duran was the only challenger to go the distance with the champion. After the victory, Hearns said, "Marvin Hagler must be shaking like a leaf on a tree."

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===Round 1===

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Hagler, normally a slow starter, stormed Hearns from the opening bell, eventually pinning him to the ropes. Hearns threw his devastating right hand to Hagler's chin, stunning Hagler for a moment before Hagler was able to tie him up in a clinch (Hearns broke his hand delivering that punch). Seconds later, however, the two were trading power punches, with Hagler trying to get inside and to pin Hearns to the ropes again. In the process, he succeeded in stunning Hearns with a hard right hand. Hearns tied up Hagler again and tried to slow the pace by boxing rather than trading power punches with Hagler, who was still the aggressor. This lasted for only a moment, however, before the two once again started to trade power punches. Hagler developed a cut on his forehead, but didn't slow as he pinned Hearns to the ropes and meted out more punishment, evenutually hurting Hearns at the end of the round. This opening round is considered by [[Ring Magazine]] as the ''greatest round in boxing history'', and won round of the year honors for 1985.

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===Hagler cements his legacy===

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With public interest at an all-time high, Hagler and Hearns once again signed to fight. Billed simply as "The Fight" by promoter [[Bob Arum]], it was scheduled for Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 15, 1985. Hagler was guaranteed $5.6 million and Hearns was guaranteed $5.4 million. The fight was shown on closed circuit television in over 600 locations with more than three million seats in the United States and Canada.

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By the beginning of the second round, it looked as though Hearns had no legs under him as he slowed the pace by boxing Hagler. Hagler experimented by switching to orthodox style for a moment, but switched back to southpaw as he found more success in countering Hearns' [[jab]]. By the end of the round, Hagler again pinned Hearns to the ropes, successfully landing a volley of punches. In the next round, Hearns again tried to slow the pace and received indirect assistance from referee [[Richard Steele]] who halted the fight briefly to check the cut on Hagler's forehead, which was bleeding profusely. As the fight resumed, Hagler countered Hearns' jab with a hard right, taking advantage of Hearns' rubbery legs. Hearns was knocked down and counted out, giving Hagler his 11th successful defense of his middleweight title. It was widely regarded as Marvin Hagler's pinnacle achievement in his career, and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest middleweights of all time.

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== The Fight ==

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[[File:SI6216.jpg|right|250px]]

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In the days leading up to the fight, Hagler wore a hat with the word "War" on the front. It proved to be quite prophetic. Hagler, normally a slow starter, attacked Hearns from the opening bell and pinned him to the ropes. Hearns fired back with a barrage of punches, opening a cut on Hagler's forehead and stunning the champion, who then tied up the challenger. After being separated from the clinch, the two went right back at each other, with each loading up on power punches. Hagler backed Hearns into the challenger's corner and Hearns clinched. Hearns then started moving around the ring. He caught Hagler numerous times at long range as the champion pursued. With a minute left in the round, Hagler once again backed Hearns into the challenger's corner, where they fought furiously. Hearns was able to get the fight back to ring center in the final seconds of the round and landed several hard shots. Hagler glared at Hearns as they walked to their corners after the bell ended the round. The crowd of 15,088 roared their approval. [[The Ring Magazine]] called round one "the greatest round in boxing history."

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Ring magazine called the fight the ''most electrifying 8 minutes ever'' and won [[Ring Magazine Fight of the Year|fight of the year]] for 1985, despite lasting only three rounds.

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When Hearns got back to his corner, he told his trainer, [[Emanuel Steward]], that he had broken his right hand. Steward said, "You've got to stick and move. Jab. Don't fight with him." Hearns followed his trainer's advice and came out boxing in the second round. Hearns was able to stay on the outside and circle the ring for most of the round. With about thirty seconds left, Hagler, who was switching back and forth from southpaw to orthodox, pinned Hearns to the ropes and kept him there until the bell.

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Hearns' legs appeared unusually weak as he moved around. Steward blamed it on a massage. While the trainer was absent from the dressing room, a member of Hearns' entourage rubbed down the challenger's legs. "A massage leaves the body spent and Tommy’s legs began giving out on him even before we made the walk to the ring. I was nervous,” Steward said.

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A minute into the third round, referee [[Richard Steele]] stopped the action so the ringside doctor could check Hagler's cut. The physician asked, "Can you see all right?" Hagler replied, "I ain't missing him, am I?" The doctor told Steele to let the fight continue. Soon after the fight resumed, Hagler caught Hearns with a right hook that sent the challenger reeling into the ropes. Hagler chased after him and nailed him with a right cross to the chin, sending Hearns to the canvas. Hearns struggled to beat the count. He got up but was in no condition to continue, and Steele stopped the fight.

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Hagler's victory over Hearns was his tenth knockout in eleven successful title defenses and is widely regarded as the pinnacle achievement in his career. It cemented his legacy as one of the greatest middleweights of all-time.

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[[The Ring Magazine]] named Hagler vs. Hearns the [[Ring Magazine Fight of the Year|Fight of the Year]] for 1985.

*During the momentary stoppage during the third round, Richard Steele asked Hagler if he could see through the blood coming from his forehead. Hagler sarcastically replied, "Well, I ain't missing him, am I?"

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*Hearns received a massage before the fight much to the chagrin of his trainer [[Emanuel Steward]]. Steward felt the massage weakened Hearns' legs during the fight and led him to adopt a more aggressive approach than he normally would.

Background to the Fight

Marvin Hagler was widely regarded as the top challenger for the middleweight title for much of the late 1970s. He got his long-awaited title shot against Vito Antuofermo on November 30, 1979. After fifteen rounds, most thought Hagler had won the fight, but Antuofermo retained the title with a controversial draw.

Hagler's second title shot came on September 27, 1980 in London, England against Englishmen Alan Minter, who had dethroned Antuofermo. Hagler battered Minter, and the fight was stopped on cuts in the third round. Hagler was the new Undisputed World Middleweight Champion, but he didn't get to be announced as the new champion in the ring because the English fans started throwing bottles in outrage over the stoppage. Hagler and his handlers were hurriedly escorted from the ring by security.

Hearns' road to a title wasn't as rough. With a record of 28-0 with 26 knockouts, he won the WBA welterweight title with a second-round annihilation of Pipino Cuevas. He defended the title three times before being stopped in fourteen rounds by WBC champion Sugar Ray Leonard in a unification fight. After the lost to Leonard, Hearns moved up to middleweight and set his sights on Hagler.

Hagler and Hearns were originally scheduled to fight on May 24, 1982 at Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, but the fight was postponed after Hearns injured his finger. The fight was rescheduled for July 15, but Hearns then wanted the fight moved to the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mighigan. Hagler said he would not fight Hearns in the Detroit area, and the fight was canceled. Hagler said, "Hearns is afraid to fight me. He always was, and he always will be."

Hearns defeated Wilfred Benitez to win the WBC super welterweight title on December 3, 1982. His most impressive title defense was on June 15, 1984, when he scored a devastating second-round knockout of Roberto Duran, who had gone fifteen rounds with Hagler the previous November. Duran was the only challenger to go the distance with the champion. After the victory, Hearns said, "Marvin Hagler must be shaking like a leaf on a tree."

With public interest at an all-time high, Hagler and Hearns once again signed to fight. Billed simply as "The Fight" by promoter Bob Arum, it was scheduled for Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 15, 1985. Hagler was guaranteed $5.6 million and Hearns was guaranteed $5.4 million. The fight was shown on closed circuit television in over 600 locations with more than three million seats in the United States and Canada.

The Fight

In the days leading up to the fight, Hagler wore a hat with the word "War" on the front. It proved to be quite prophetic. Hagler, normally a slow starter, attacked Hearns from the opening bell and pinned him to the ropes. Hearns fired back with a barrage of punches, opening a cut on Hagler's forehead and stunning the champion, who then tied up the challenger. After being separated from the clinch, the two went right back at each other, with each loading up on power punches. Hagler backed Hearns into the challenger's corner and Hearns clinched. Hearns then started moving around the ring. He caught Hagler numerous times at long range as the champion pursued. With a minute left in the round, Hagler once again backed Hearns into the challenger's corner, where they fought furiously. Hearns was able to get the fight back to ring center in the final seconds of the round and landed several hard shots. Hagler glared at Hearns as they walked to their corners after the bell ended the round. The crowd of 15,088 roared their approval. The Ring Magazine called round one "the greatest round in boxing history."

When Hearns got back to his corner, he told his trainer, Emanuel Steward, that he had broken his right hand. Steward said, "You've got to stick and move. Jab. Don't fight with him." Hearns followed his trainer's advice and came out boxing in the second round. Hearns was able to stay on the outside and circle the ring for most of the round. With about thirty seconds left, Hagler, who was switching back and forth from southpaw to orthodox, pinned Hearns to the ropes and kept him there until the bell.

Hearns' legs appeared unusually weak as he moved around. Steward blamed it on a massage. While the trainer was absent from the dressing room, a member of Hearns' entourage rubbed down the challenger's legs. "A massage leaves the body spent and Tommy’s legs began giving out on him even before we made the walk to the ring. I was nervous,” Steward said.

A minute into the third round, referee Richard Steele stopped the action so the ringside doctor could check Hagler's cut. The physician asked, "Can you see all right?" Hagler replied, "I ain't missing him, am I?" The doctor told Steele to let the fight continue. Soon after the fight resumed, Hagler caught Hearns with a right hook that sent the challenger reeling into the ropes. Hagler chased after him and nailed him with a right cross to the chin, sending Hearns to the canvas. Hearns struggled to beat the count. He got up but was in no condition to continue, and Steele stopped the fight.

Hagler's victory over Hearns was his tenth knockout in eleven successful title defenses and is widely regarded as the pinnacle achievement in his career. It cemented his legacy as one of the greatest middleweights of all-time.